Weekend crime spree ends with arrests

Mesquite was bustling with car enthusiasts attending the Mesquite Motor Mania event, players and spectators here for the UYSA Soccer Presidents Cup, and the normal flow of visitors in and out of Mesquite the Jan. 17-19 weekend. Two alleged criminals thought the distractions would allow them to pick up a few things, illegally.

But people did notice and reported the crimes right away.

Calls related to property crimes began and hammered the phone lines throughout the weekend. Twenty-one property-related crimes ranging from multiple stolen vehicles, vehicle, residential and commercial burglaries, property damage, merchandise thefts, and even stolen bicycles, were perpetrated throughout the city, said Mesquite Police Department Public Information Officer MaQuade Chesley.

MPD Detectives were called out to process crime scenes and Patrol Officers were placed on high alert.

On Jan. 19, an officer spotted a suspicious van near the entrance to a gated community. As the officer attempted to maneuver his patrol vehicle around the median, the van fled quickly, the driver losing control and crashed. By the time the officer arrived at the site of crash, the driver had fled.

It was discovered the van had been recently reported as stolen and was filled with property stolen from recent burglaries. An investigation of the crash scene led detectives to multiple leads with possible suspects.

Shortly after noon, a patrol officer discovered a male adult acting suspicious in a local business parking lot. The male was found to be in possession of a stolen vehicle from St. George. The vehicle in his possession was filled with items that were stolen throughout the weekend from Mesquite homes and businesses.

The adult male was identified as Jeffery Paget, 21, of St. George.

He was placed under arrest and charged with: burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, ex-felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen property, possession of a stolen credit cards, obtaining/possessing a credit card without consent, receiving stolen property, theft, destruction of property, grand larceny, theft from a motor vehicle, and possession of controlled substance/methamphetamine. Additional charges against Paget relating to the crimes are pending.

The MPD also arrested a second suspect, Robert Trask, 53, of Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday after being spotted in a stolen vehicle. Trask will face felony charges similar to Paget.

Chief of Police Troy Tanner credits the resolution of this weekend crime spree to the cooperative effort between patrol officers and detectives.

“With the sheer number of cases we investigated this weekend, it takes numerous man hours from the beginning to the end to ensure justice is served and stolen property is returned to the rightful owner,” Tanner said.

Chief Tanner also acknowledged that investigations are continuing with the incident and more arrests may be imminent.